Grand Jury Hands Down Incitements in Voter Fraud Case

Matt Boster

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Posted by: Matt Boster
Date: Jun 24 2014 7:09 AM

Accoring to (Dothanfirst.com) A Dothan woman closely associated with a city commissioner has been indicted on 23 charges of voter fraud. A grand jury decided there is enough evidence against Olivia Reynolds to take the case to trial. Reynolds is the girlfriend of Dothan commissioner Amos Newsome.

She and two other women were arrested May 9 on charges they committed voter fraud in the campaign for District Two that saw Newsome re-elected last August. She was charged with 26 counts. A source not authorized to speak publicly about the case said the other three cases against Reynolds were likely continued because of problems scheduling witnesses.

Also charged are Janice Hart, accused of 20 counts, and Lesa Coleman who is charged with 10 counts. As of Friday afternoon indictments against them had not been docketed. Grand jury action is not public record until the indictments are processed in Houston County Circuit Court.

Newsome’s win came on the strength of absentee ballots that favored him by a 119-5 margin. That brought complaints of possible wrongdoing by Danzey and her supporters. The Houston County Sheriff’s Office conducted an investigation spanning several weeks and involving more than 100 witnesses. The findings were turned over to District Attorney Doug Valeska.

A civil challenge was filed in Houston County Circuit Court seeking to have Danzey declared the winner of the race. However, the case was dismissed in January upon agreement of attorneys representing Danzey and Newsome.